The Road to Gjógv

A road trip in the Faroe Islands is a treat, with awe-inspiring vistas or colourful little villages whichever way you turn.

Around a bend in the road, this is what you might see:

… or this:

We’re on Sheep Islands, so you will also see this:

On the island of Eysturey, you’ll pass by Eiði. With nearly 700 inhabitants, this is a large settlement.

Eiði

The old Viking settlement of Funningur, on the other hand, is home to about one-tenth as many:

Funningur

The Road to Gjógv

… and the fishing village Gjógv, our goal for the day, has even fewer inhabitants. Once home to a whopping 210 souls (and a fleet of 13 fishing boats), about 50 live in Gjógv today.

Curious about the pronunciation? It’s simpler than it looks: the first ‘G’ is silent, so just say ‘jog’ with a ‘v’ added at the end. Gjógv means gorge and it’s a gorgeous place with a natural harbour, a village church, a school for the three children, and a post office in a private house, open 1 hour every weekday. There’s also a helicopter pad and a guest house.